A Twisted Love Story(31)

Friday.

Wes never mentioned it to her. They spent the whole weekend together and he never said a word.





27




Karen walks away from Ivy and Wes, forcing herself not to look back at them. But she wishes she could watch what happens next.

Ivy didn’t know about the second interview. She tried to keep her expression neutral, but Karen saw it. A slight widening of her eyes, a side glance at Wes.

Karen had stopped by Siphon last Friday to talk with him. In just a few days, the company had completely overhauled the front room of the sales department. New carpet, new front desk, new chair, and new assistant. Or a temporary one. Tanner’s name had even been removed from his office door. No way to tell someone had been stabbed within the company’s pristine walls.

When Karen identified herself and asked to speak with Wes Harmon, she was ushered right into his office. He looked surprised to see her.

“I spoke to another detective about Tanner a couple days ago,” he said. “Detective Knox, I believe.”

“Yes, he’s the primary on the case. I’m just following up.” Karen sat right down and made herself comfortable. Not her first time at the rodeo with Wes. “This won’t take long.”

She began with questions about Tanner: how long they had worked together, and if Wes had ever seen him do anything questionable with a woman.

“I never saw him act inappropriately,” Wes said. “When we were outside of the office, at a bar or a restaurant, I saw him talk to women. Flirt with them. But nothing inappropriate.”

“Did you ever see him become violent? With anyone?”

“No.”

“Let’s talk about Bianca,” Karen says. “How well did you know her?”

“She had been our administrative assistant for about a year. I always thought she was professional and good at her job.”

“What about her relationship with Tanner?”

Wes shrugged a little. “As far as I know, there was no relationship. They were colleagues.”

“So they weren’t involved.”

“I never saw anything to indicate that.”

Louis probably asked all the same questions, and a hundred more, but Wes didn’t remind her of that. He answered like this was the first time he had heard them. A lot of other people she interviews get impatient and complain, but not Wes.

It wasn’t normal. And when that happens, it means something. At least it does to an experienced detective.

“What about you?” she asked. “Did you have a personal relationship with Bianca?”

“No. I think the only time I saw her outside of work was at the holiday party.”

“So,” Karen said, “it was nothing like your relationship with Ivy.”

Wes broke eye contact. She could almost see the wheels grinding in his head as he caught up to what the interview was truly about.

He could’ve responded by asking why she was really here, or why she was asking about his girlfriend. He could’ve become angry and told her to get out. Or he could have picked up the phone and called Louis to ask him what the hell was going on.

Wes did none of that.

“I don’t see how the two are similar,” he said.

“I didn’t say they were.”

“Again, I don’t understand how Ivy is relevant to Tanner and Bianca.” Wes sat back in his chair, his hands clasped together, and he looked relaxed. Cool.

It reminded Karen of her husband. He used to sit just like that, looking at her the same way.

“You sound defensive,” she said, although Wes didn’t.

“I’m confused.”

He shouldn’t have been. Wes must have known she had asked Ivy about her stolen car. Karen had no doubt Ivy was the type who would tell her partner everything. Unlike Wes.

“I’m thinking about the potential relationship part of this,” she said, taking her tone down a little. “I’ve been trying to figure out if Tanner and Bianca had one, if perhaps they were arguing about it when this happened. I’m sure you can relate, given your relationship with Ivy. You described it as intense. Maybe Tanner and Bianca were the same.”

“Like I said, I never saw anything like that.”

“I understand. I just thought with your experience, you might have some insight.” Karen smiled. She knew more than Wes realized, because Ivy has been active on social media for years. She had posted about how they first met, and about their first fight. “You and Ivy have clearly broken up and gotten back together a few times.”

“As far as I know,” Wes said, “Tanner and Bianca weren’t personally involved.”

Karen backed down then, not pressing the issue further. She was already too far out of bounds and well outside the scope of her job. This wasn’t her case.

She shouldn’t have been talking to Wes about Tanner, and she certainly shouldn’t have been trying to connect Tanner with Wes and Ivy’s relationship. If Wes had picked up the phone and called Louis, she would’ve been demoted at best. Fired at worst.

But she also would’ve bet every dime she had that Wes would not call anyone. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself—especially attention from the police. She knew that.

She knew a lot of things.